Isolation of chick intestinal nuclei. Effect of vitamin D3 on nuclear metabolism

1. Chick intestinal nuclei were isolated, with practically no contamination from other organelles and whole cells, by centrifugation through 2.4m-sucrose. 2. The proportions of RNA, DNA and protein of the isolated nuclei were unaffected by the vitamin D status of the birds. The RNA/DNA ratio was 0.15. 3. The incorporation of [5-(3)H]orotic acid into the rapidly labelled intestinal nuclear RNA, after a 10min. pulse of the orotic acid, was increased in vitamin D-deficient chicks only 10min. after a 125mug. dose of cholecalciferol. 4. There was no stimulation of the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of the isolated nuclei from birds treated with cholecalciferol. 5. The results are discussed in relation to the changes occurring during the lag period, after administration of cholecalciferol and before Ca(2+) transport is detected, and the function of the vitamin.